“And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”

Too many times in 2014 I felt like I was on the verge of losing my mind. Too many times in 2014 I felt like I didn’t have an ounce of strength left to give. This year, I am over it! I refuse to let the devil have my mind and I know that God’s strength is made perfect in my weakness. And there are a ton of times that I’m reminded of just how weak I am. This year, I choose to rejoice in those weaknesses so that His strength can shine!

I’m gonna trust that God is more than enough and try to maintain a closer relationship with the Lord. I couldn’t make it without prayer and God’s Word. If I’ve said it once, I’ve said it a million times— prayer and the Word are the only things that allow me to keep my sanity and allow me to stay saved and sanctified!

I really needed my One Verse 2014 (Philippians 4:11) about being content and I am still clinging to that verse. That’s another reason I love and chose this year’s One Verse. How can I be content? How do I overcome envy or longing or anything? By knowing that GOD is sufficient! He is enough for me. He is all I need.

Besides, in Matthew 6:33, it says we are to seek first the Kingdom of God and all these things will be added. Anything else is an added bonus because without Him, it’s worthless. He is sufficient. My Pawpaw Bill always said, “If you’ve missed heaven, you’ve missed it all.” I refuse to miss heaven for this world. When I cling to Him and only Him, the troubles of this world fade away and I know I can make it. He’ll see me through. Why? Because His grace is sufficient for me!

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The following lyrics were written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney, otherwise known as part of the Beatles, in 1965. Though I’ve changed the word “lovers” to “loved ones” and made the “you” a personal standpoint to mean God/Christ, the words can still have a great meaning.

In My Life

“There are places I remember all my life, though some have changed. Some forever, not for better, some have gone, and some remain.

All these places have their moments of loved ones and friends I still can recall. Some are dead and some are living, and in my life, I’ve loved them all.

And with all these friends and loved ones, there is no one compares with You. And these mem’ries lose their meaning when I think of love as something new.

And I know I’ll never lose affection for people and things that went before. I know I’ll often stop and think about them. In my life, I’ve loved You more.”

My mind is always flooded with memories. The things that most people would never remember, I have stored in the back files of my mind. This is not always a blessing, believe me. Sometimes, there are several things that I wish I could forget.

Sometimes, an image of a person will come to my mind, but not just that image, but anything that person has ever done towards me, whether it be good or bad, will come flooding back also. If it happened to be an offense that I have already forgiven, I definitely don’t want that brought back to my remembrance.

I know that I don’t want my past sin/offenses remembered and held against me at any given moment.

Thank God, that when we repent, He cast our sins as far as the East is from the West! Never to be remembered again.

Not all memories are meant to be bad or dreadful. God allows us to have wonderful memories. Memories of the loved ones who have gone on already and the time that we got to spend with them. Memories aroused by scents around us or a familiar sight.

We come into contact with all kinds of people throughout life. Sometimes, we learn from them, while at other times, we are teaching them. Our main goal is to ALWAYS love them. Yes, they will disappoint us and we will disappoint them, but such is life. We must correct the wrong, ask for forgiveness, LOVE, and move on.

But, I want to be able to tell God, since He knows our hearts, “… in my life, I’ve loved YOU more!”

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Lord I am needing You more, I know that I’ve prayed this prayer before. Lord it seems that each passing day increases my need.

Whenever the calm starts to blow. Whenever my friend becomes my foe. When I feel all alone and nobody else knows, I go back on my knees.

Back on my knees where I can talk to my Father. He hears the sigh, whisper, or cry from someone like me.

Any place I can find becomes an old tear stained alter. Making my faith known, in touch with the throne, back on my knees.

Lord I am weary in this race and I’m well aware that there is no second place. To win or to lose, in my own hands, is my destiny.

So Lord here I am once again, to pray til I catch my second wind. I’ve found in this race that I keep better pace if I run on my knees.

This is the words to an old song by the McFalls. I have always loved the words to it and it is the type of song that can be used now as it was then. It is timeless.

As this world is drawing to an end, (I believe that we are not far from Christ’s return), I have found that it gets harder and harder to press forward in this race. My desire is for God to find me “so doing” when He returns to get His children. I never want to be in His way or out of His will. In these last days, it is so important to keep going and not give up. If you fail, get back up, don’t stay down. We all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. It is by His grace that we are forgiven.

My strength is non-existent, but God’s strength makes me strong. There are so many times that I get so weary that I just want to quit and give up. I have to hide myself in the shadow of His wings and get rid of “self weakness” so that He can do the pushing me on.

If you find yourself weary, let God “re-boot” you. Get re-energized and press forward! It’s gonna be worth it all!

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11 Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content:12 I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

Phillippians 4:11-13 NKJV

The above has to be one of my most favorite passages of scripture. In fact, Phillippians 4:13 is my favorite scripture in the entire Bible.

I’ve been quoting these scriptures to myself a WHOLE LOT lately. I’m dieting, starting a business, maintaining relationships, homeschooling a preschooler, and due to our landlord letting our home foreclose: we have to move.

Contentment; Rather tricky, isn’t it? As mothers, we are always busy. There is always something we need. There is always something we want. A lot of the time, these things aren’t even for ourselves. Maybe they are for our family or loved ones. But regardless, there is always something.

I would love to be instantly skinny after 2 weeks of dieting, have a gorgeous home of my own, new clothes, my hair done, my family well dressed, my kids rooms full of fun toys, and my son to want to sit down and be still for 10 minutes every day during circle time. But the Bible says whatsoever state that I am to be content.

Paul was clearly never a mom. Ever. But he’s right. So I’m reminding myself: I am healthy, I have a roof over my head, I still have hair, my family & I have appropriate clothing, my kids have plenty of toys (trust me!), and my son still learns even if he is jumping up and down the entire time we discuss the day, month, weather, scripture, etc.

The rest of the stuff will come if and when it is God’s will through prayer. You know why? Because I can, in fact, do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Not some things, all things. Until then, I’ll be content.

What about you? What are you content with today, and what will God give you the strength to do?